MADISON, Wis. – Five returning University of Wisconsin women’s hockey players are currently participating in Hockey Canada’s national women’s program summer strength and conditioning camp at the University of Calgary in Calgary, Alberta. The camp began on Tuesday and runs through Sunday.

The camp consists of five days of off-ice fitness training and is considered an important first step in identifying this country’s future women’s hockey stars, including those who could be in the running to represent Canada at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

Hockey Canada invited 109 players to the camp based on evaluations conducted throughout the 2009-10 season by regional scouts and the coaching staffs of Canada’s National Women’s Team, National Women’s Under-22 Team and National Women’s Under-18 Team. Players were evaluated while they played with their club teams in-season, as well as at various national camps and events.

The list of players includes 19 goaltenders, 33 defensemen and 57 forwards, many who have participated in Hockey Canada’s senior women’s, under-22 and under-18 programs. The 21 members of Canada’s Olympic roster, as well as any senior program athletes who have been affiliated with the National Women’s Team more than once, are not required to attend this camp.